Screw and washer assembly machine



av. 24, 1942. Q OLSQN 2,303,227

scREy AND WASHER ASSEMBLY MAQHINE Original Filed July 8, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet l v 1N VENTOR.

@7 6 GT Olaon M/Qji Nov. 24, 1942. c. G. OLSON Y 2,303,227

SCREW AND-WASHER ASSEMBLY MACHINE Original Filed July 8. 1939 5 Sheet-Sheet 2 i v INVENTOR.

.@v. 2, 1&2 c. s. QLSON 9 39 SCREW AND WASHER ASSEMBLY MACHINE- Original Filed July 8, 19 39 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 'W, 24, 142: C, O SQ 25503 227 SCREW ANDJWASHER ASSEMBLY MACHINE Original Filed July 8, 1939 '5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

, ;a wig/ 4 2 Patented-Nov. 24, 1942 SCREW AND WASHER ASSEMBLY MACHINE 1 Carl G. Olson, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Illinois Tool Works, Chicago, IlL, a corporation of Illinois Original application July s, 1939, Serial No.

283,373. Divided and this application August 19, 1941, Serial No. 407,479

14 Claims.

This invention relates to a machine or mechanism for assembling washers with threaded screw elements each having an enlarged portion be-' neath the head of the screw element, and for swaging the elements in permanent association:

This application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 283,373, filed July 8, 1939, for Screw and washer assembly machine.

It is an object of this invention to provide a machine of the above stated character wherein an assembly mechanism includes means which not only telescopes the screw into a washer, but also includes means which at the same time causes an interlocking of the washer with the screw, so that permanently assembled units of screws and washers are provided.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a punch press, or similar machine, including mechanisms for telescoping screws and washers and swaging the screws after telescoping with the washers to produce permanently assembled screw and washer units.

It is another object of the present invention ,to provide an attachment, or attachments, for a standard Orwell-known punch press, or similar machine, whereby said press or machine may be readily converted into a machin for telescoping screws and washers, and for swaging the telescoped elements to retain them in permanently associated relation.

Other and further objects and advantages of y the invention will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a machine embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view in elevation and partly in longitudinal section through the screw I conveyor and hopper:

Figure 3 is a plan view of the mechanism shown inFigure2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical section taken along the line 4--4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical section taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view in vertical elevation partly in section, through the washer feed means and the assembly mechanism;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view partly in sec-' tion showing the positions of certain parts of the Y assembly mechanism if no washer is present at the point of assembly;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the screw receiving and conveying jaws of the assembly mechanism;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary plan view of the washer conveyor, a portion of the assembly mechanism, the washer sensing means, the screw conveyor, the screw chute, and the guide chute for the assembled units;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary plan view with certain elements broken away for illustrating the operation of the washer conveyor and the washer sensing means;

Figure 11 is a fragmentary view in perspective illustrating the driving mechanism for the washer feed means;

Figure 12 is an enlarged vertical section taken substantially along the line l2-| 2 of Figure 6;

Figure 13 is a view in vertical section of a portion of the mechanism shown in Figure 12, but

with the parts in a difierent position of opera-.

tion;

Figure 14 is a fragmentary enlarged view illustrating one form of an assembly unit produced by the machine'of this invention; I

Figure 15 is a fragmentary view in horizontal section taken along the line |5-I5 of Figure 14;

Figure 16 is a fragmentary plan view of the washer conveyor provided with means for up-' setting the metal of the screw element; and

Figure 17 is an enlarged fragmentary view partly in section and partly broken away for illustrating a second form of assembled screw and washer unit and showing how the metal of the screw element is upset by the means shown in Figure 16.

As shown in the drawings,.the machine which forms one embodiment of the present invention comprises a punch press machine 2 of standard or well-known type for which are provided additional mechanisms or attachments by which said machine may be adapted for the production of permanently assembled screw and washer units. These additional mechanisms'comprise a hopper 4 for receiving a mass of screws; 2. screw'feed mechanism 6 for conveying the screws from the hopper 4 onto an inclined guide or feeding chute 8, a washer hopper and washer feed mechanism Ill, an assembly mechanism II, a, conveyor or guide chute M for discharging the assembled screw and washer units, a drive attachment l5 for the washer feed mechanism, and a drive attachment l6 for the assembly mechanism I2.

The punch press machine comprises a main base or pedestal 18; an auxiliary base or body 20 angularly adjustable on the base l8; a press or ram 22 vertically reciprocable in a guide 24 and power actuated from a crank shaft, through a u t e crank not shown.

" The hopper and feed mechanism for the screws As shown in Figures 1 to 5, the hopper 4 and feed mechanism 6 for the screws comprise a hopper casting having forwardly and downwardly converging, side walls 28 and inclined rear wall 30, the hopper being mounted on. inclined laterally spaced bars, 32 by brackets 34 secured to the side walls 28 and to the bars 32. The bars 32 are in turn mounted upon'the upstanding web 36 of a mounting casting 31 having .an L-shaped laterally extending flange portion 38 adapted to be bolted or otherwise'secured to the bed plate 40 of the punch press 2 at its forward edge. The bars 32 are mounted at their lower ends on a bracket 42 secured to the web 36 and at their upperends are received within a cut-away rim portion of the disc or discs 44 pinned or bolted to the web 36.

The hopper is provided with a baflle wall or plate 46 inclined oppositely to the rear wall 30 and extending between the sidewalls 28. The

rear wall 30 and the baflleplate 46 terminate at their lower edges somewhat above the surface of the bars 32. It is to be noted that the walls 26 and 30 and the baffle plate 46.converge at the bottom and central portion of the hopperso that the screws of the mass within the chamber formed therethrough. The shaft 62 is driven by a ratchet wheel :64 secured to the shaft 62, the ratchet in turn'being intermittently driven by a pair of pawls 66 and 68 carried by and journalled on apivot pin 10 secured at an intermediate point to a lever journalled on the shaft 62 and held against axial movement by the nut 14 and a shoulder formed on the bushing I6. The lever I2 and the pawls 66 and 68 are continuously. driven or. oscillated by an electric motor or other suitable prime mover 18 secured to the casting 31 and geared to a drive pulley 80-v which through a belt 82 drives a pulley 84'. The pulley 84 is secured to one end of a shaft 86 journalled in the web 36 of the casting 31 and a bracket 88 mounted on the lower lateral flange 90 of the casting 31. A disc or crank 92 is secured to the other end of the shaft 86 and is connected to the lever 12 by a link or pitman 94 pivotally associated with the free end of the lever 12 and with the crank or disc 92.

A spring 96 connects the pawls 66 and 68 and urges them into engagement with the ratchet 64. A cam plate 98 fixed to the web 36 controls the pawl 68, which pawl causes the ratchet to rotate backwardly during a certain portion of its cycle of operation. This reverse motion of the -by these walls and the battle plate readily move I by gravity to the bottom opening between the side walls. The bottom opening of the hopper is closed by an endless, preferably metallic,- band or tape 48 which moves along the upper surface of the bars 32. A resilient plate 50 secured to the rear wall of the hopper as by the screw 52 extends'forwardly of the rear wall toward the baffle plate 46 to provide a resilient wall section at the mouth of the opening preventing Jamming of the screws between the walls ofthe hopper and between the hopper walls and the tape 48 or the bars 32. g

The endless band 48 is received in an annular groove or track of a drive pulley or sprocket 54 and in an annular groove or track of the fixed disc or discs 44. The endless band in its. lower flight passes over idler pulley 56 rotatably mounted on the web 36 between the-pulley or sprocket 54 and the disc or discs 44. The drive pulley or sprocket 54 is preferably provided witha plurality of angularly spaced protuberances or sprocket teeth 58 receivable within longitudinally spaced circular apertures in the endless band 48, whereby the band 46 is driven by the wheel 54. The band 48 is additionally provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced, relatively elongated apertures or openings 60 to receive the screws from the hopper 4. The openings 60 are each of a.width 'veryslightly greater than the diameter of the shank of the particular size screws to be fed. To accommodate screws of different sizes, bands 48 having openings 60 of different widths will be provided. In order to permit ready substitution of one band for another, the pulley or sprocket 54 and the disc 44 may be made in detachable sections andthe idler pulley 56 adjustably mounted so as to be disengaged from the band during removal or replacement thereof. The openingsi60 are relatively elongated so that each opening accommodates several screws and so as to receive a screw which although positioned in transverse alignment with the opening, may be tilted at a vertical angle with respect to the surface of the band 48.

shaft 62 journalled in the web 36 and extend ng ratchet and the consequent reverse movement of the band 48 cause the screws more readily to position themselves in the openings in the band 48. Upon this reverse movement of the band 46,

the screws at the bottom of the hopper and those partially positioned in the openings 60 of the band-48 might tend to jam in the hopper or jam between the hopper and the band so as to crush the screws or damage the band, and to prevent this, a resilient member I00 is provided and is secured to the hopper by the screw 52. The outer free end portion of the member I00 rests flatwise against the surface of the band as shown in Figure 2 and extends forwardly beyond the resilient plate 50. The member I00 yields rearwardly upon reverse movement of the band and by engagement with the lowermost screws in the hopper and the screws on the band applies thereto a force which prevents the jamming of the screws upon the reverse movement of the band.

Stripper springs I02 each of general U-shaped configuration in horizontal section are secured to the sidewalls 28 of thehopper adjacent its forward end and have their lower extremities overlapped in alignment with the openings 60 in the band 48 and are so elevated above the band as to clear the heads of screws which are properly positioned in the openings in the band, but to engage screws which are improperly positioned in the band or are carried upon the surface of the band so that such improperly positioned screws are dislodged from the surface of the band and caused to return toward the plate 46 of the hopper or are shifted relative to the band into proper position relative thereto.

The inclined guide or feeding chute 8 comprises a pair of bars I04 and I06 spaced apart a distance somewhat greater than the maximum diameter of the screw shank, but somewhat less than the diameter of the screw head so that the screws will slide by gravity along these bars. The bars I04 and I06 are mounted upon supporting brackets I08 for adjustment relative to each other to accommodate different sizes of screws, and the brackets I08 are in turn secured to the bed plate 40 of the punch press and the supporting base for the washer hopper and feed mechanism I0 and the assembly mechanism I2. A pair of resilient strips or fingers IIO secured to the upper ends of the bars I04 and I06 extend therefrom to the disc or discs 44 and at their free ends press against the surface of the band at a point where the band curves downwardly so as to engage be-' neath the head of a screw as it reaches this point. The weight of the suspended shank of each screw tends to cause the screw to assume a vertical position wherefore the forward edge of the head of each screw is spaced slightly from the surface of the band at the point where the fingers IIO engage the band and consequently the screws are removed from the band and slide between the fingers onto the bars I04 and I06.

The operation 01' the screw feeding mechanism 6 is as follows:

As the disc 92 rotatesin a clockwise direction. the pitman 94 moves from the position shown in Figure l to the position shown in Figure 2, the leading edge of the'pawl 66 engages the tooth of the ratchet 64 and causes the ratchet to revolve in a clockwise direction, this movement of the ratchet causing, through the sprocket 54, the band 48 to advance screws toward the guide chute 8. As the pitman approaches the end -of a stroke in this direction, the free end of the pawl 88 engages the cam 98. The angular face of the cam causes the pawl 68 to revolve slightly and disengage the ratchet 64. As the pitman continues to the end of its stroke and starts to return, the cam 98 keeps the pawl 68 out of engagement with the ratchet until the toothed edge of the pawl, which formerly rested between two adjacent teeth of the ratchet, clears the forward face of the following tooth of the ratchet. and as the pitman continues its return, the pawl 88 rests upon the periphery of the ratchet and finally slides into the succeeding groove between the next adjacent pair of ratchet teeth somewhat before the pitman has completed its return movement. As the pitman completes this return movement, the pawl 68 causes the ratchet to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction and the band' 48 therefore to move toward the left in Figure 2. This movement of the band to the left serves to agitate the mass of screw blanks in the hopper end, with the resilient members 50, I00, and I02, facilitates the feeding of the screws to the apertures 60 in the band 48 and their proper positioning therein. The pitman 94 having completed its movement to the right, now begins its movement to the left, during all of which movement the pawl 86engages the next ratchet tooth and moves the ratchet counter-clockwise in an arc equal, for

example, to one and one-third ratchet teeth, the I -pawl 88 on the other hand moving the ratchet rearwardly during its'effective engagement therewith a distance equal, for example. to two-thirds of a ratchet tooth. It will therefore be apparent that the band 48 moves intermittently first in a direction to the right, as seen in Figure 2, and then in a direction to the left, but the movement to the right is substantially greater than the movement to the left so that the band therefore with an interrupted motion feeds the screws from the hopper t to the guiding and feeding chute 0.

In order to prevent operation of the feeding mechanism 6 when the guiding and feeding chute 8 contains a full complement of screws, the guide bars I04 and I06 are provided with contact memhers I I2 insulated therefrom and electrically connected to a power source (not shown) and to a solenoid H4. The solenoid II4 through its armature controls a lever II6 pivoted as at II8 to the web 36. When by reason of the energization of the solenoid 4,. the lever H6 is moved in a clockwise direction as seen in Fig. 2, it is positioned to engage the free end of the pawl 66 as the pitman approaches its limit of movement to the right and as the pitman then moves to the left, retains the pawl 66 out of engagement with the ratchet until the tooth end of the pawl has cleared the next tooth of the ratchet so that the pawl 66 moves freely about the periphery of the ratchet. The pawl 66, having moved freely over the ratchet in a clockwise direction, the pawl 68 upon the following movement of the pitman to the right, also moves idly over the periphery of the ratchet. When by reason of the operation of the assembly mechanism I2, screws are withdrawn from the guiding and feeding chute 8, the screw which completed the electrical connection between the plates II2 passes downwardly from these plates and the circuit to the solenoid H4 is thereupon broken. The lever II 6 by reason of its own weight and the weight of the armature of the solenoid, moves in a counterclockwise direction out of the path of movement of the pawl 68. Hence upon the next movement of the pitman 94 to the left, the pawl 06 effects a feeding movement of the band 48.

The washer hopper and washer feed mechanism The washer hopper and washer feed mechanism comprises, as best shown in Figures 1, 6 and 9 to 11, a ring 120 bolted or otherwise secured to a base plate I22, in turn mounted on or formed with a plate I24 secured to the bed plate 40 of the punch press 2. The plate I22 is cut away at its rear portion to form a housing chamber I26 for a portion of the driving mechanism of the washer feed mechanism. The ring I forms a guide and bearing for a rotary washer feed plate or disc- I28, whichis provided with a plurality of angularly spaced outwardly opening peripheral recesses or notches I30 to receive the washers. The disc at its periphery is of a thickness not substantially greater than the thickness of the washers to be handled.

The disc I28 forms one wall of a washer hopper of which the remaining wall is formed by an annular shell or plate I32 secured to the ring I20 and extending circumferentially of the ring through an arcuate distance somewhat less than 270 degrees. The disc I28 isfastened to the upper end of a shaft I34 as by a screw I36, the shaft I34 passing into the chamber I26 and having secured to its lower end a feed ratchet and index plate I38.

The plate I38 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction by a pawl I40 pivoted to a slide bar I42 slidably mounted in guides I44 secured to the plate I24. A spring strip I46 yieldably urges the pawl I40 into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet plate I38.

An indexing finger I48 is carried by a bell crank I50 pivoted as at I52 to the plate I24 within the chamber I26. The index finger I48 is urged toward the ratchet plate into engagement therewith by a spring I54 interposed between one arm of the bell crank and a block I56 fixed to the plate I 24 or the plate I22. The bell crank I50 is rotated in'a clockwise direction to release the index finger I48 from the ratchet during its operation by the pawl' I 40, by'means of a cam bar I 56 secured to the slide bar I42 and having an angular cam face I58 adapted to engage a pin I60 secured to one arm of the bell crank. In the rear of the angular cam face I58, the bar I56 is provided with a portion I 62 extending parallel to the path of movement of the bar I42 so that during movement of the pinl8ll across the portion I62, the index finger I48 is held in released position. v

A crank I64 secured to a stud shaft I66 drives the slide bar I42 through a ball and socket joint I68. The shaft I68 is journalled in brackets I18 being pivoted to a block I18 adjustably mounted in a slot I88 extending diametrically of a disc I82 secured to the crank shaft 26.

A pair of radial baffles I84 secured to the hopper shell I32 at angularly spaced points are spaced at their lower edges slightly above the disc I28 to assure placement of washers in the recesses I38 and to retain the mass of washers against rotation with the disc I28.

Short radial baffles I86 of resilient material are also secured to the hopper shell I32 at angularly spaced points and each provides a lower edge I88 spaced from the upper surface of the disc I28 a distance slightly greater than the thickness of a washer and a depending finger I98 extending almost to the surface of the disc, but spaced from the circumference of the disc a distance slightly less than the diameter of a washer. The finger I98 is therefore positioned to engage the external teeth of a lock washer which may have become interlocked with a washer in one of the recesses I38 and be fed by the disc in superimposed position in respect to the washer in the recess. The finger I88 in engaging the external teeth of this superimposed washer applies thereto, as the disc I28 is rotated, a force tending to rotate the superimposed washer to release the washers from each other so that only one washer will be fed at a time to the point of assembly.

The disc I28 not only feeds washers to the point of assembly, but also feeds the assembled units from the point of assembly to the guide chute I4, which discharges the assembled units from the machine into a suitable receptacle such as shown at I92 in Figure 1. For this purpose the ring I28 is circumferentially recessed through an arc of substantially 90 degrees to form one wall of a guide for the shanks of the screws as the assembled units are fed from the point of assembly to the feed chute I4. The other wall of this guide is formed by an arcuate bar I84 adjustably secured in any convenient manner to the surface of the plate I22 or to the circumference of the ring I28.

The chute I4 preferably comprises a pair of spaced inclined bars I96 and I98 adjustably secured to the plate I22 to provide a screw receiving channel extending substantially tangentially to the disc I28 and extendin rom this disc rearwardly of the machine between the upstanding legs of the auxiliary base or body 28 of the punch press.

The chute 8 which supplies the screws to the assembly means I2 feeds the screws along a path lying in a plane extending radially with respect to the washer feed disc I28 and as will presently appear, the assembly means selects the foremost screw at the lower end of the chute 8 and in-- serts it into a Washer positioned in a recess I38 that at the moment lies in this radial plane and the washer feed plate then feeds the assembled screw andwasher unit along the guide chute formed by the arcuate bar I84 and the circumferentially recessed portion ofthe ring I28 to the chute I4 and between the bars I 86 and I88 forming this chute. As the disc continues to rotate, the inner. surface of the bar I96 engages the shank of the screw and thereby extracts the assembled unit from the disc.

The operation of the washer feed mechanism is substantially as follows:' As the crank shaft 26 in the punch press rotates, the connecting rod II4 moves up and down and through the crank "2 causes the shaft I66 to oscillate. Upon oscillation, the shaft I66 causes the bar I42 to move forwardly and then backwardly. The bar I42 in moving forwardly carries the cam bar I56 into engagement with the pin I68 carried by the bell crank I58 and the angular cam face I58 causes the bell crank to rotate clockwise, as seen in Figure 11, thereby to remove the index finger I48 from the ratchet or index plate I38. As the bar I42 continues to move, the parallel portion I62 of the cam bar engages the pin I68 and retains the bell crank in its clockwise limit of movement. As the bar I42 moves rearwardly, the pawl I48 engages the ratchet, I38 and causes this ratchet to rotate through a given angular distance in a counterclockwise direction, as seen in Figure 11, thereby causing the washer feed disc I28 also to move in a counterclockwise direction to position the next succeeding washer at the assembly point. During this jrearward movement of the bar I42, the parallel portion I82 leaves the pin I68 which then engages the angular face I58, but the index finger I48,"is not then moved into engagement with a groove between the ratchet teeth at the plate I38. but rides upon the periphery of one of these ratchet teeth until when the plate I36 has moved the desired angular distance, the index finger I48 is aligned with such a groove and the spring I54 thereupon snaps this index finger thereinto to prevent overfeeding of the ratchet and the disc and to insure that the washers are positioned precisely at the point of assembly.

The assembly mechanism The assembly mechanism, as best shown in Figures 1, 6 to 9, 12 and 13, comprises a pair of jaw members 288 pivoted as by cap screws 282to the depending portion 284 of a slide bar or shaft 286. The jaw members 288 are provided at the lower ends with inturned jaws 288 having complementary recesses 2|8 for receiving the shank of the foremost screw element at the lower end of the chute 8, the head of the screw being received upon the upper surface of the jaws 288.

The jaw members 288 have'the form of hell cranks, the outwardly extending arms 2II engaging depending projections 2I 2 of a bar 2I4 slidably mounted on a ram or pluhger 2 I6. The slide bar or shaft 286 is slidably mounted in a sleeve 2I8 secured to a tubular housing 228 bolted or otherwise fastened to the arm 222 of a bracket 224 bolted to the plate I22. A brake member or block 226 of friction material is mounted in an opening in the housing 228 and extends through an opening in the sleeve 2I8 into engagement with the slide bar or shaft 286 and is held frictionally in engagement with the slide bar by spring strips 228 and 238. The spring strip 238 is secured at its upper end to a pin 232 slidably received in an opening in the housing 228 and bears at its lower end against the block 226. The spring strip 228 is super- 238 of the slide bar and the upper surface of urged into the locking position shown in Figure 6 imposed upon the strip 230 and both spring strips are adjustably mounted upon the housing 220 as by the screw 234. It will be evident that the block 226 of friction material resiliently pressed against the surface-of the slide bar 206, acts to hold the slide against movement under the action of gravity and retains the slide bar in every operated position against inadvertent movement.

the bar 2I4.

. press machine preferably comprises a cup- ,shaped member or sleeve 250 closed at its lower end and adjustably secured to the sleeve 236, the sleeve 236 passing through an enlarged opening in the closed end of the sleeve 250 and being adjustably secured thereto as by opposed pairs of adjusting and clamping nuts 252 positioned to engage opposite surfaces of this bottom portion;

of the sleeve 250. The sleeve 250 is slidably recelved in the centrally bored lower end portion of the ram 22, but is normally' locked against sliding movement relative to the ram 22 by a pin 254 slidably mounted in a transverse opening in the ram 22 and receivable within a transverse opening 256 in the sleeve 250. The pin 254 is secured to or formed integrally with the arma- I ture of a solenoid 258 secured to a plate 260 fastened in any convenient manner to the lower end of the ram 22. The pin 254 is normally by a coil spring 262 embracing the pin 254 and interposed between a collar 264 secured to the pin and the frame of the solenoid in which the pin is slidably mounted at one end.

The screw receiving jaw members 200 are normally held inclosed position under the action of the springs 242 pressing against the bar 2 which engages the jaw members outwardly of their pivots 202 and therefore normally urges these jaw members toward each other to a closed screw receiving position. Movement of the jaw members oppositely to each other and into an open position is effected by a pair of adjustable set screws 266 (as shown in Figure 12) the screws 266 being threaded into the laterally bent end portions 268 of fixed bars 210 secured in'any convenient manner to the tubular housing 220. Clamp nuts 212 retain the set screws 266 in adjusted position. a

In operation, the ram or plunger 2I6 and the "0 sleeve 236 have a limited movement downwardly relative to the slide bar or shaft 206 and this limited relative movement is determined by a pair of adjusting and clamping nuts 214 threaded on the sleeve 236 beneath the lower pair of 75 adjusting and clamping nuts 252 and in a position to engage the upper end of the slide bar 206 when this limited downward relative move-' ment has been accomplished.

The assembly mechanism hereinbefore described cooperates with the washer feed mechanism to provide as articles of commerce the preassembled threaded fasteners and lock Washers forming the subject matter of applicant's Patent No. 2,150,126, issued March 7, 1939. To facilitate the clear understanding of the present invention, such preassembled fastener units are illustrated herein in Figures 14 and 15. As

shown in these figures, the screw 216, of which the screw head 218 forms a part, has a threaded shank portion 280, the threads of which terminate a certain distance below the head 218 to provide a lock washer retaining section 282 between the head and the thread of the screw. The lock washer may be of any desired convenengaging edges which project beyond the annular wall of the body 284. The lock washer retaining section 282 includes a plurality of lock washer engaging protuberances 288 extendingaxially of the retaining section, formed integrally with said section, and spaced angularly about the periphery thereof. The diameter of the central aperture in the lock washer is slightly less than the maximum diameter of the screw shank takemacross the protuberances 288, but the-diameter of this look washer aperture is slightly greater than. the external diameter of the threaded portion of the screw shank. Thus, in assembling the lock washer with the screw,

the shank of the screw having been inserted through the central aperture of the lock washer, the wall defining the lock washer aperture shears or swedges its way-along the protuberj ances 288. To facilitate this shearing or swedgin these figures, particularly Figure 15, the protuberances 288 bite into theaperture defining wall of the lock washer and frictionally retain the washer in permanently. assembled relation beneath the screw head.

A modified preassembled. fastener and washer unit is illustrated in Figure 17. As shown in this figure, and: washer is received upon a smooth retaining section 290 formed between the threaded portion of the shank 292*and the head 294 of a screw 296, and is retained on the section 290 by an annular ring or lip 288 swedged from the lower edge 'of the section 290 so that the annular portion 298 is of an external diameter greater than the diameter of the central aperture of the lock washer. The retaining lip 298 is preferably formed by a hardened steel, generally crescent-shaped annulus 300 set into and lying flush with the upper surface of the ring I20 and the arcuate bar I94 atthe point of assembly as shown in Figures 16 and 17. The edges of the opening 302 of the annulus 300 are aligned with the edges of the guide chute formed by the circumferentially relieved surface of the ring I20 and the bar I94. It will.be'evident that a screw having been inserted in a washer at the point of assembly.

tion of a downward force to the head of a screw will cause an extrusion of the metal at the lower edge of the retaining section 288 so as to form the annular washer retaining lip 288.

The annulus 888 may also be used in formingv the preas'sembled units of Figures 14 and 15, and

' the lower edgesof the ribs 288 therefore swedged outwardly to form an annular rib additionally or alternatively preventing axial movement of thewasher on the screw shank.

The solenoid 288 which controls the locking pin 288 is controlled by a washer sensing device 388 so that the assembly mechanism will not be operated by the ram 22 if the washer feeding .an actuation of this sleeve. The washer sensing device 888.comprises a resilient strip 888 having a bent end portion 888 engaging with a washer positioned in a recess I88 of the washer feed disc I28 at the point of assembly, and adapted to move inwardly of the recess as shown in Figure 10, if such recess does not contain a washer Upon inward 'movement of the resilient strip 888 from the position shown in Figure 9 to the position shown in Fig.-

ure 10, the resilient strip moves a shiftable contact member 8I8 into. engagementwith a fixed shown), s that upon closing, of the contact members the solenoid 288 will be energized.

. Operation of-the assembly mechanism The operation of the assembly mechanism is substantially as follows: Upon upward movement of the ram 22 of the punch press the ram 01'' plunger 2I8, the sleeve 288, and the slide bar 288 with the jaw members288 carried by said bar arebrought to the position illustrated inFigure 13, in' which position the upper surface of the Jaws 288 lie in theplane or Just below the plane of the upper edges of the guide bars I88 and I88 of the guiding and feeding chute 8. In this position the .iaw members are closed, the mm or plunger 2| 8' at its lower .edge is spaced slightly above the head of the screw, the annular shoulder m or the sleeve m engages the shoulder in with the shank of the screw being received in the Upon downward 60 that instant be positioned at the point of assemopenings 2" in these Jaws. movement of the ram 22 the ram or plunger 2I8 and the sleeve 288 are moved downwardly a limited distance relative to the slide'bar 288so that the plunger contacts the head of the screw and the clamping and adjusting nuts 2" engage the upperedge' of this slide bar 288. Upon continued downward movement of the ram 22, the slide bar 288 is moved downwardly in unison witnthe plunger 2I8 and the sleeve 288 tocar'ry the screw .downwardly and to insert the shank thereof through the aperture in the washer. As the ram or plunger 2", the sleeve 288, and the slide bar members 288, thereby rotating these i aw members oppositely to screw-releasing position against the positioned upon the annulus 888, the applicaforce of-the springs 282 while the ram or plunger tion 282 of the screw into the material of the lock a: washer, and the head of the screw down upon the lock washer, or in respect to the modification shown in Figure 17, to ram or press the retaining section 298 upon the die block 388, thereby forming the annular retaining lip 288.

f Operation of the machine The operation of the machine will be apparent from the foregoing detailed description of the construction and operation of the several parts thereof. It may, however, be generally noted that screws are fed by the intermittently operated band 88 through the upper end of the chute 8. whence they gravitate'in -succession toward the assembly mechanism I8. Washers dumped or massed within the hopperformed by the feed disc I28 and the shell I32 are fed in succession from the mass at the rear of the 'shell'by the intermittently operated disc I28 and by said disc are brought in succession to a position in the plane of the path of movement of the jaw members 288 of the assembly mechanism' and for a definite time interval are retained in said position, lying also in the plane of the path of movement of the screws down the chute 8. The screws are successively picked up by the jaw members 288 of the assembly mechanism-and are carried downwardly by these members and inserted into the washer at the assembly point and a partial insertion of a screw having been eflected, the

screw, following which the ram or plunger '2I8 continues its downward movement to ram or press the screw into final assembled relation with the washer, which in its final assembled position is 40 locatediust 'below the head of the screw. From the assembly point the feed disc I28 moves the assembled unitsin succession along the guide chute formed by the circumferentially relieved surface of the ring I 28 and the arcuate bar I88 until the screw becomes aligned with the discharge chute I8 and the shank of the screw is; received between the spaced bars I88 and I88 of 1 the chute. Thereafter, as the disc I28 moves, the

screwelement, in effect, 'moves the screw element radially with respect to the'disc so as to remove the washer from the recess I88 of the disc. Operation of the assembly mechanism and the 5 feeding of a screw thereby to the disc I28 is prevented if the disc fails to carry a washer to the point of assembly as previously described. If for any reason a screw is not delivered to the assembly mechanism, the washer which may at bly is not extracted from the disc, but remains v in its recess I88 during the next revolution of the disc and is returned to the point of'assembly. Changes may be made in'the form, constructidn 5 and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its attendant advantages, and the right is hereby reserved to make all such changes as fairly fall within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

L ii -machine for assembling washers with screw elements which are provided with shanks having enlarged portions adjacent the heads of assembled units are withdrawn from the disc by 1 r 50 the bar I88 which, engaging the shank of the the screw elements, which machine comprises a mechanism for .telescoping a washer on a screw element so that the washer is positioned on the screw element below the shank portion of enlarged diameter, said mechanism including means for' holding the washer against movement after it has been telescoped, and a power actuated ram for pressing 'upon'the screw element to force the same in an axial direction while said washer is heldagainst movement to swedge the.

enlarged shank portion of the screw-element for permanent association of the washer with said enlarged shank portion.

- 2. An attachment for a machine having a ram, said'attachment comprising an assemblymechanism including means for telescoping washers j on the smaller shank portions of screw elements I which are each provided subjacent the head of the screw with a shank portion of. larger diameter, meansjfor holding one ofsaid telescoped elements against movement in an axial direction and a ram adapted to be connectedto the ram of the machine and movable in a direction axially of the telescoped elements for. engaging the other of said elements to force the telescoped washer element axially of the screw element over the enlarged shank portion of the screw element.

said screw elements to a predetermined location,

means for conveying washer elements to said location. and an assembly mechanism at said location, said mechanismincluding means for first positioning the washer elements on the threaded shank portions of the screw elements and including means for then forcing one of the elements axially while holding the other complementary element against axial movement to swage one by the other and the washer onto the larger shank portion of the screw in close juxtaposition to the clamping heads of the screws.

6. In, a mechanism for assembling a washer element with a screw element having a clamping .head with a subjacent shank portion of larger diameter than the washer aperture and a shank portion of smaller diameter than the washer aperture and spaced from the head, a jshiftable support, means carried by said support for releasably' clamping one of said elements thereto, a ram, power actuated driving-means, connections between said driving means and said support for shifting said support to cause the wash- 3. An attachment for a punch-press or sim-.,

I ilar machine having a ram, said attachment comprising an assembly mechanism includin'gmeans for telescoping-washers on the smaller shank portions of screw elements which are each pro-- vided subjacent the head of the screw with ashank portion of larger diameter, means for holding one of said telescoped elements against movement in an axial direction and a ram adapted to be connected to the ram of the machine and for engaging the other of said elements to force said other element in .an axial direction mwhile said one element is held against movement to force the washer element over the enlarged shank'portion of the screw element, means er element to be telescoped onto the smaller shank portion .of the screw element, and connections between said driving means and said ram for thereafter operating said ram to ram the washerover the larger shank portion of the .zfirew Element and adjacent the clamping head ereo 'z. A mechanism for assembling washers with screw elements-which are provided with shanks having enlarged portions adjacent the heads of thescrew elements, which mechanism comprises a shiftable support, relatively movable members I I carried by said support for clamping one of said elements thereto, power actuated driving'means, means connecting said driving means to'said support for shifting said-support to telescope for feeding said screw elements to the telescoping'means, a washer-hopper receivin collection of said washers,'washer feeding means for.

conveying said washers successively from a mass in the hopper to the telescoping means and the screw element with the washer element, a ram positioned to engage one of the telescoped elements from one side of the washer, movement preventing means engaging the other of the telescoped elements from the otherside of the washer during operation of the ram to hold said other element against axialmovement, means for moving] said members relatively to release means adapted to be operatively connected to the ram of the machine for driving said washer feeding meansin proper timed relation with the operation of the ram of the attachment.

4. In a machine for assembling washers with screw elements having threaded shank portions and larger washer receiving shank portions between the head and the thread, washer feed I meansfor delivering said washers successively to-an assembly point, said washer feed means including means for supporting the rim of each washer at the assembly-point. and disposed to hold each washer against movement in an axial direction,- means for first telescoping a washer onto the threaded shank portion of one of said screw elements while the washer is so supported at the assembly point, and a power driven plunger then ressing upon the. screw element in an axial direction while the washer is so supported at the assembly pointfor forcing the larger.

. shank portion of the screw element through the washer and into permanently associated r'ela-. tion.

5. In a machine for assembling washer ele ments with screw elements having threaded the clamped'element from the support when telescoped with a complementary element, means connecting said power actuated means to said I shiftable support,- a plurality of levers forming jaws for engaging a screw element, said levers being pivotally secured to said shiftable support for movement therewith-to insert a screw element into a washer element and for movement relative thereto into positions to receive, to clamp,

shank portions and larger washer receiving shank portions at least as large in diameter as the aperture in the washers, means for conveying element into a washer element.- means therea and to release a screw element, means at a predetermined location for supportlngthe periphery'ot the enlarged portion ofthe inserted screw element against movementin an axial direction," aram atsaid location, power actuated driving mechanism, connections'between' said driving mechanism. and said support for shifting said shiftable support-to insert a clamped screw screw element having a shank portion of smaller diameter than the washer aperture and an enlarged shank portion of greater diameter than the washer aperture and between the clamping head and the smaller shank portion, said mechanism comprising a washer holder supporting the periphery of a washer and the enlarged shank portion of a screw element when telescoped with the washer, a screw holder, 9. force applying element, automatic means for causing a relative appreaching movement between the screw holder and the washer holder along the axis of the screw element held in the screw holder to telescope the smaller shank portion of the screw element with a washer held in the washer holder, said automatic means including power actuated mechanism for thereafter operating said force applying element to ram the washer over the enlarged shank portion of the screw element, and means thereafter operable for causing relative separating movements between the assembled screw element and the screw holder leaving the screw element in the washer holder, and means for subsequently ejecting assembled elements from the washer holder.

10. A machine for manufacturing combined screw and washer units comprising a mechanism telescoping a washer element with the smaller shank portion of a screw element that is provided with a washer receiving shank portion of enlarged diameter subjacent the head of the screw element, a ram constructed and arranged to press upon one of said telescoped elements in an axial direction for swaging the elements into permanently assembled relation, power actuated driving mechanism, and connections from said driving mechanism to said telescoping mechanism and said ram for first telescoping the elements and thereafter swaging the elements into permanently assembled relation.

11. A machine for manufacturing combined screw and washer units comprising means for telescoping the washer element with a threaded screw element that is provided subjacent the head with radially projecting ribs of greater diameter than the screw thread, the washer having a central aperture of smaller diameter than the external diameter of said rib, means for pressing upon said screw element in an axial direction, means for holding the washer during the operation of said pressing means, a power actuated driving mechanism, and connections between said driving mechanism, said telescoping means and said pressing means foroperating said telescoping means and said pressing means in proper timed relation to first telescope the elements and then swedge the washer element onto the radially projecting ribs of the screw element.

12. A machine for manufacturing combined screw and washer units comprising means for telescoping a washer element with a threaded screw element that is provided subjacent its head with a shank portion of greater diameter than the screw thread, a mechanism including a power actuated screw head engaging member movable to press upon the screw element in a direction axially of said element, and a member supporting the enlarged shank portion of the screw element for swedging the shank portion of the telescoped screw element when said screw element is so pressed by said member and thereby to form beneath the washer a protuberance exceeding the diameter of the central aperture of the washer element to permanently associate the washer element with the enlarged shank portion of the screw element.

13. A punch press or similar machine for permanently assembling screw and washer elements, said machine comprising a power actuated shaft, a ram actuated by said shaft, a bed plate toward and from which the ram moves when actuated by on said bed plate and for receiving a lnass of 1 screws, each having an enlarged shank portion subjacent the head of the screw, means mounted on said bed plate for feeding screws successively from the mass in the hopper to said screw carrier, a second hopper mounted on said bed plate and for receiving a mass of washers, means mounted on said bed plate for carrying washers' in succession from the hopper to a position in the path of'a screw element in said carrier as the plunger and carrier are moved toward the bed plate, said screw carrier being constructed to release each screw element when partially telescoped with the washer by the movement of the plunger and carrier toward the bed plate and constructed to permit continued movement of the plunger after the screw has been released by the carrier, and means for holding the washer against movement toward the bed plate during such continued movement of the plunger after release of the screw from the screw carrier, said plunger being constructed to press upon the screw in an axial direction while the washer is held against movement by said holding means thereby to swage the enlarged shank portion of the screw element for permanent association of the washer with said enlarged shank portion.

14. Attachments for a punch press or similar machine, having a power actuated shaft, a ram actuated by said shaft and a bed plate for supporting the work beneath the ram for converting said machine'into a machine for permanently assembling screws having enlarged shank portions subjacent their heads with washers, said attachments comprising a base for mounting on said bed plate, means mounted on said base for feeding washers in succession to an assembly point, said means including a driving mechanism, a power take-off for connecting said driving mechanism to said power actuated shaft, a slide, means mounted on said slide for receiving a screw and constructed to carry and insert said screw in a washer as the slide is moved, means mounting said slide on said base for movement toward and from a washer when located by said feeding means at the assembly point, aplunger mounted on said base and positioned to engage a screw carried by said receiving means, a power take-off for connecting said ram to said plunger, said plunger being arranged to cause movement of the slide simultaneously with the plunger to carry and insert the 'screw held in said receiving means in a washer at the assembly point as the ram is actuated, said screw receiving means being constructed to release said screw after partial insertion in said washer while movement 01' the plunger continues thereafter, means mounted on said base and positioned at theassembly point axial direction, said plunger being constructed to press-upon saidscrew in an axial direction while the washer is held against movement to ram the washer over the enlarged shank portion of the screw element.

- CARL G. OLSON.

j thefecqr'd uf'jme ae int-.h'er atm Office.

noye mb er 19).;2

I It 1 hereby certifi'ed thaterror 'appe'ars 0116 printed specification of 119 abdve hinnpered paLtentz-equirmg correction as follows: fags 5 first fcql n} 11min; for/"6nd": read -'-m 1--; and that the said Letters Patent should be-re ld with this correction there'in'thgt the s'ame may conform to Signed and sglsiled this 16th'day' of Eermxlary, A. D. 1915.

Henry Vgh A r sdgle, 

